Hanmer Springs Growth Outruns National Trend

Local Growth Outruns National Trend

Media release, for immediate release, Thursday 5 February

LOCAL GROWTH OUTRUNS NATIONAL TREND

One of Canterbury's top tourist attractions is surging ahead of national overseas visitor trends.

Hanmer Springs Thermal Reserve experienced a 16% increase in overseas visitor numbers in the seven months to January 2004. This compares favourably with just-released external migration figures from Statistics New Zealand, which show a three percent increase in overseas visitors to New Zealand to the end of last year.

Hanmer Springs Thermal Reserve General Manager Graeme Abbot says an increasing number of independent travellers (those who travel outside of organised tours) have discovered the resort town.

"More people are choosing to travel around New Zealand by themselves, as they want to discover more of the country than just the iconic areas of Queenstown and the glaciers. As a result, they have discovered Hanmer Springs - and they like what they have found. The increasing number of campervans here is just amazing," says Graeme Abbot.

The largest area of growth came from the European market, where the number of visitors to Hanmer Springs increased by 81%. Other major growth areas included the Australian market, with a 25% increase, and the UK, where the number of visitors rose by 23%.

"We are delighted with the figures, as it shows our international marketing campaigns have hit the mark. Hanmer Springs Thermal Reserve and the Hurunui Tourism Board have together gone out to get the overseas market's attention, and it's worked," says Graeme Abbot.

ENDS

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